Drone services via AgriTech start-ups, skilling via ITIs to be the next frontier

Not only for creating light shows, as seen during the Beating Retreat ceremony, the government is now focusing on drone technology to empower AgriTech start-ups, along with creating a skilled workforce via various Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). In her Union Budget 2022 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that start-ups will be promoted to facilitate 'Drone Shakti' through varied applications and for Drone-As-A-Service (DrAAS). "In select ITIs, in all states, the required courses for skilling will be started," she added.

Drone technology is an integral part of several AgriTech start-ups as these are used for crop assessment, digitisation of land records, spraying of insecticides and nutrients. Filling the skill gap in this area is a revolutionary step for an agriculture-dominated country like ours, experts say. It is estimated that there are about 600-700 AgriTech start-ups in India (IT industry's apex body NASSCOM last reported 450 in India two years ago) operating at different levels of agri-value chains.

Sushma Paul Berlia, Chairperson, National Council on Ease of Doing Business at ASSOCHAM, said that "virtual education as a tool towards filling the gap took place due to the pandemic in the last two years" and it is heartening to ensure minimum quality education is available to all — whether through skilling portals or "skilling courses through various ITIs".

ITIs starting skilling courses is welcome for low-end skills. "Polytechnics are the right place to start offering skill courses especially as skills of tomorrow are of a higher order. Polytechnics should also be allowed to offer advanced skill programmes," said Chocko Valliappa, Vice-Chairman, Sona Group of Education institutions.

Vipul Singh, Founder and CEO, Aarav Unmanned Systems (AUS), said that the budget duly recognises the key role drone technology is playing in solving some really tough problems for sectors like land records, infrastructure, mining, disaster management and agriculture. "Furthermore, the announcement of Drone Rules 2021, the PLI scheme for the drone industry, and subsidies for drones to be used for agriculture applications have provided a fillip to the sector," he said.

With the use of drones for land surveys and crop assessments, the government "seeks to leverage technology for enabling the next phase of sustainable socio-economic development of the nation," said Nitin Bansal, MD, India Head-Networks, Market Area South East Asia, Oceania and India, Ericsson.

The budget has covered multiple avenues for the drone industry to rise, especially "promoting agricultural drones and NABARD fund to support start-ups will result in ensuring that the drone industry reaches a new milestone," said Swapnik Jakkampudi, Co-Founder, Skye Air Mobility, a drone delivery tech firm.